Leg for an article of furniture or the like



Feb. 26; 1952 E. C. BOOTH LEG FOR AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE OR THE LIKE Filed Sept. 14, 1949 INVENTOR fI/QL C5001,

of two similar tubular metal Patented Feb. 26, 1952 LEG FOR AN ARTICLE OF FURNITURE OR THE LIKE Earl C. Booth, Columbus. Ind., assignor to Arvin Industries, Inc., a corporation of Indiana Application September 14, 1949, Serial No. 115,653

4 Claims.

1 Y Articles of furniture and similar structures, such as tables, ironing boards, etc, are frequently provided with pivotally mounted legs movable between extended and retracted positions; and it is common practice to provide for holding the legs in extended positions, braces or links pivotally connected to the legs. This invention relates to such structures and has for its object the provision of a leg which will be Strong and rigid and which can readily be attached to links or braces employed in holding it and/or otherlegs in adjusted position. Afurther object of the invention is to produce a leg of the type described which can readily be made of metal tubing.

In carrying out the invention, the leg is formed members secured together at the outer end of the leg. Adjacent such outer end, the tubular members are collapsed to form portions of doublethickness which are desirably curved in cross section. The collapsed, arcuate leg-portions are arranged in opposed relation with their concave faces directed each other. In addition, the collapsed arcuate 'portions of the legs are offset transversely of toward themselves to permit their extreme outer ends to be secured together and in contact with each other, while the offset portions are spaced apart inwardly of such points of contact to provide for the reception between them of a brace or link pivotally connected to the leg by a pin or rivet extending through both of the collapsed leg-portions. In the preferred form of the invention, the two leg portions are formed of a single piece of tubing which, after being appropriately collapsed and given the desired form in cross-section, is

bent about a transverse line to bring the two sections together.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a collapsible ironing board having a front leg in which my invention is embodied; Fig. 2 is a fragmental elevation illustrating a step in the formation of the preferred form of the front leg; Fig. 3 is a fragmental elevational view illustrating the outer end of the completed leg together with links and a brace connected to it; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sections on the lines 5-5 and fi6 of Fig. 3.

The ironing board illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises a top Hi to which a front leg H and rear legs [2 are pivoted on spaced axes. The front leg I l is connected to the rear legs [2 by links l3, so that the legs may swing jointly between collapsed positions against the lower face of the top I0 and the extended positions shown in Fig. 1. A releasable brace l4 serves to hold the legs in extended position. It is to be understood that the ironing board is illustrated merely as an example of a structure in which my invention may be employed, the invention in this instance being shown as embodied in the front leg I I.

As will be apparent from Fig. 3, the leg ll is formed of two sections of metal tubing designated Ila and llb, such two sections conveniently, al-

though not necessarily, being different parts of a single length of tubing. If the two leg-sections are formed from a singlepiece of tubing, the in termediate portion of such tubing is formed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to include short flattened portions 16 separated by a crease I1 and extending to a point A spaced a short distance from such crease. As will be brought out more fully hereinafter, the center portion of the single length of tubing is collapsed and otherwise shaped by a single stamping operation while such single length of tubing is straight; and thereafter the tubing 'is folded about the crease I! to bring the two flattened portions [6 into contact with each other as shown in Fig. 3. Beyond the point A and continuing to the point B, each section of the tube remains collapsed but is given an arcuate or generally semicircular shape in cross-section to form a groove i8. Between the points A and B the edges of the leg-section are coplanar with the flattened portions l6, so that they will come substantially into engagement with each other, as indicated in Fig. 3, when the tubing is folded about the crease I1. Beyond the point B and continuing to the point C, the leg-sections are offset to provide between them the gap l9 shown in Fig. 3. In the leg illustrated, there is a second offset between the points C and D. The intermediate offsetting of the portions of the leg sections lying between the points B and C is provided for a purpose not material to the present invention and may be eliminated if desired.

Beginning at the point D, the groove I8 is of gradually diminishing depth, such groove disappearing entirely at the point E. In a leg where the two sections Ila; and [lb diverge from each other as they continue upwardly, the bottom of the groove 18 between the points D and E in each section may be in alignment with the groove-bottom on the other side of the point D, the diminution in the depth of the groove being effected by bending the tube bodily at the point D. Beyond the point D, the two thicknesses of each leg-section, which have previously been in contact with each other, separate until, at and beyond point E, the tube retains its original circular form.

When the tubing formed as above described is folded about the crease I! to place the sections Ila and Hb in opposed relation, the offsetting of the arcuate shaped portions results in the gap I9 previously referred to and in the wider continuation IQ of such gap. As previously indicated, the fact that the gap shown has two different widths above and below the point C is not material to the present invention, it being sufficient for my present purpose only that the two sections of the leg be in contact with ,each other near the outer end of the leg and separated from each other above such point.

The finished leg is pivotally connected to the ironing board top by coaxial pivot pins, bolts. or rivets 25 which pass through each leg-section. To interconnect the leg II with ,the links l3 and brace M a common pivot pin or rivet 26 extending through aligned holes in the leg-sections, braces, and links may be provided. The ends of the links and braces are desirably flattened, the link-ends are disposed against the outer surfaces of the leg sections, the brace-end is disposed in the gap l9, and the rivet 26 is put in place and headed to prevent its removal.

The finished leg may be provided with an appropriate foot 30. Conveniently such foot is made. of resilient material such as soft rubber provided with a socket which, interiorl y, conforms generally to the shape of the extreme lower end of the leg and has lateral pockets .to receive the ends of the flattened portions l6. Such a socket would be resiliently distorted to permit it to be passed over the flattened portions IE, but will resume its original shape when in position, and the presence of the ends :of the flattened portions in the pockets will locate and secure the foot and leg together.

I claim as my invention:

1. A leg for incorporation in an article of furniture or the like, said leg comprising a pair of similar sections disposed in opposed relations and rigidly interconnected at their lower ends, each of said sections being formed .of metal tubing, the tubing of each section for a distance above its lower end being collapsed and formed into an arcuate cross-section. said leg-sections being arranged with the concave faces of the collapsed portions of the leg-sections in opposed relation, said collapsed portions including upper and lower stretches, the latter having their edges in contact with each other and the former being spaced apart, and a transverse pin extending between said upper stretches to provide a pivotal support for a member received therebetween.

2. A leg for incorporation in an article of furniture or the like, comprising a single length of metal tubing having a collapsed center portion and circular end portions, said collapsed center portion being flattened at its midpoint and of arcuate cross-section on both sides of its midpoint, said tubing being bent at said midpoint to bring the portions of arcuate cross-section into parallel relation with their concave faces in opposed relation.

3. A leg as set forth in claim 1 with the addition that said two leg sections are formed from a single length of tubing bent double at its midpoint.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 2 with the addition that the width of said flattened .center portion is materially greater than the maximum dimension of said portions of arcuate crosssection, and a foot formed of resilient material and having an upwardly opening, ,leg receiving recess provided near its bottom with ,diametrh cally-opposite pockets receiving the ends of said flattened portion.

EARL -C- BOOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following referen es are of r cor in he file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

